Beirut was once known as the Paris of the Middle East. Her beauty is still there, though you must look harder for it now. Your reward is to stumble on a jewel such as the Bustros Palace, a lavish 19th century townhouse. Liza Asseily’s restaurant Liza Beirut occupies the first floor. Its intricate interiors respect the past without being stuck in it – each light-flooded room is playfully themed according to its wallpaper of banana leaves, vintage banknotes or skyscrapers. The menu is classic Lebanese, impeccably executed. There are cooler parts of town, but Liza Beirut, in slightly stuffy Achrafieh, is an outstanding example of the growing confidence with which the city is embracing its cosmopolitan history while making it new, with style and a sense of humour.